Reverse molded panel

ABSTRACT

A reverse molded fiberboard panel; a wainscot kit comprising a plurality of differently sized reverse molded panels, and a planar finishing or spacer panel, adapted to completely cover any size wall between a wall base board and a wall chair rail; and a method of reverse molding a loose cellulosic mat, in a single pressing step, to provide one or more relatively high density, raised panels without requiring preliminary pressing, or other pre-shaping step, such as scalping. The reverse-molded panels are molded in a conventional, multi-opening fiberboard press, in a single pressing step process, while achieving excellent transfer of mold detail (embossing fidelity) without visually noticeable fiber fracture.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applicationSer. No.______ filed Dec. 21, 2000 (Our Ref: 27502/IP6066) which isbased on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/198,709 filedApr. 20, 2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a reverse molded (profile up, asmolded) wood composite article particularly useful for the manufactureof a wainscot panel, and also useful as a door skin or door-facingsurface, and to a method of making the reverse molded wood compositearticle, having an upwardly inclined profile molded upwardly from aplanar base portion of the article. More particularly, the molded woodcomposite article of the present invention is made from a cellulosic matcontaining a combination of cellulosic fibers, preferably including atleast about 40% by weight, preferably at least about 60%, softwoodfibers, (from trees that produce cones) such as all species of pine, andfir, e.g., Southern Pine, based on the total dry fiber weight, and anatural or synthetic binder, such as a phenol formaldehyde or ureaformaldehyde resin. The cellulosic mat includes at least about 80%refined, fibrillated cellulosic fibers, e.g., a fiberboard mat, such asthat hot-pressed to produce hardboard. The upper surface of the moldedarticle has excellent molding die fidelity and may have a smooth finishor may be embossed to simulate a hardwood grain pattern, such as oak,simulating furniture grade natural wood. The articles are molded from aplanar layer or mat of cellulosic fibers, e.g., a fiberboard mat, madeeither by the wet process or the dry process, preferably the dryprocess. In a preferred embodiment, the fiberboard mat is one to threeinches in thickness before molding, and after molding is ⅛ to ¼ inch inthickness having co-planar stiles and rails, and planar back surfacessurrounding the molded panels, such that the co-planar back surfaces areadapted for flush contact against a wall or door surface, particularlybetween a wall base board and chair rail, as a wainscot outer wallsurface lining for an interior household wall. In accordance withanother embodiment of the invention, the reverse molded panels aremanufactured in a kit, including a plurality of differently sized panelsadapted to completely line an interior wall, regardless of walldimension.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Man-made boards, such as fiberboard, e.g., hardboard, commonlyare embossed downwardly on their intended visible major outer surface inthe manufacture of interior paneling, exterior siding, and particularlyin the manufacture of door skins, such that exterior surfaces, such asstiles and rails, are the highest structure of the embossed product. Theprior art discloses that it is difficult to reverse mold and to embossdeep draws into a fiberboard panel due to stretching and breaking of thefibers. A reverse molded fiberboard is stretched more on its visibleouter surface than on its interior surface (surface in contact with araised mold surface) making reverse molding much more difficult whenattempting to provide sharp, crisp design detail in a raised panel thatsimulates natural wood millwork. As disclosed in the following U.S.patents, reverse molding and embossing deep draws into a fiberboardpanel generally requires one or more of multiple press steps, post moldcuring at elevated temperatures, a foil or high resin content outersurface portion, and/or high binder resin content of about 5-25%,preferably at least 10% by weight of the product: U.S. Pat. No.4,061,813 Geimer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,265 Kiss; U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,797Munk; U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,900 Nishibori; U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,224 Davis;U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,190 Schultz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,881 Schultz; U.S.Pat. No. 4,734,236 Davis; U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,188 Hansen; U.S. Pat. No.4,844,968 Persson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,788 Davis; U.S. Pat. No.4,960,548 Ikeda; U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,553 DeBruine; U.S. Pat. No.4,969,302 Coggan; U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,374 Imao; U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,173Coggan; U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,968 DePetris; U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,891 Bach;U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,325 Terada; U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,402 Ruggie;

[0004] The cellulosic fibers used to form the loose mat, e.g., a one totwo inch, preferably a 1½ or 1¾ inch thick layer of cellulosic fibershaving a specific gravity of, for example, 0.6, initially may be bonedry after the fibers have been dried and felted, but the cellulosicfibers in such mats absorb moisture from the atmosphere and generallyinclude about 2% to about 10% moisture when molded via hot pressing,depending upon the humidity in the region where such mats are storedand/or manufactured.

[0005] The reverse molded panels of the present invention areparticularly suitable as wainscot panels. The panels are reverse moldedto provide a “profile up” configuration. The reverse molding approachpermits mounting the panel directly against a wall versus the prior artmethod requiring “shim spacers” (see FIG. 6A), thereby promoting easyinstallation while integrating excellent aesthetics of a wainscot panel.Historic treatments of real wood wainscot are well established and veryexpensive. Beyond the multiple piece millwork of real wood, some gypsumand polymeric materials have been fabricated into wainscot panels, butare marginally commercially acceptable, partly because they do not havethe feel or look of natural wood. There are no wood fiber compositereverse molded wainscot systems available that provide the ease ofapplication that is achieved in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In brief, the present invention is directed to a reverse moldedfiberboard panel; a wainscot kit comprising a plurality of differentlysized reverse molded panels, and a planar finishing or spacer panel,adapted to completely cover any size wall between a wall base board anda wall chair rail; and a method of reverse molding a loose cellulosicmat, in a single pressing step, to provide one or more relatively highdensity, raised panels without requiring preliminary pressing, or otherpre-shaping step, such as scalping. The reverse-molded panels are moldedin a conventional, multi-opening fiberboard press, in a single pressingstep process, while achieving excellent transfer of mold detail(embossing fidelity) without visually noticeable fiber fracture. Thepanels can include a foil, an impregnated paper overlay, orthermoplastic coating materials but do not require an overlay or highresin content coating to achieve excellent embossing fidelity andappearance.

[0007] In the preferred embodiment, the loose cellulosic mat that ismolded is manufactured by the dry process to provide a smooth, planarback surface surrounding the back surface of the raised, molded panels,rather than a screen back pattern which results from pressed mats madeby the wet process. The reverse molded raised panel design provides araised profile (profile up) that is sharp and crisp with sharp detail inexterior corners that has the appearance and feel of hand craftednatural wood millwork, but actually is a reverse-molded, high densitywood composite material that can be adhesively secured to a planar wall,such as gypsum wallboard.

[0008] Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to providereverse molded, wood composite articles, and a method of manufacturingthe articles, wherein the articles are molded from a loose mat ofcellulosic fiber and binder, such that the articles have an upwardlyraised panel that simulates natural wood millwork.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide reversemolded, wood composite articles, and a method of manufacturing thearticles, in kit form, such that the articles can be securely adhered toany planar surface, such as a gypsum wallboard, or plaster wall, to fillthe entire wall area between a base board and a chair rail, whileproviding sharp, crisp exterior corners on the reverse molded, raisedpanel, to simulate natural wood, handcrafted millwork.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a wainscotkit comprising a plurality of reverse molded wood composite articleshaving different widths and a planar panel that can be easily cut to adesired width to fill an entire wall between a base board and a chairrail.

[0011] Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide areverse molded wood composite article that provides exact transferringof mold detail at exterior corners and contours in a single pressingoperation without requiring multiple press steps, post mold curing atelevated temperatures, or a foil or a high resin content (5-25%) outersurface portion.

[0012] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide reversemolded wood composite articles that can be molded from cellulosic matsthat do not require synthetic fibers, scrim surfaces, layering of shortand long fibers, resin-impregnated paper overlays, thermoplasticvarnishes, or needling (needle punching) to hold the mat together priorto molding.

[0013] A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a reversemolded wood composite article that has one or more raised panelsincluding a centrally disposed rectangular panel portion of 5-10 mm inheight, surrounded by a raised, molded, contoured millwork design havinga plurality of raised, planar steps ascending upwardly and inwardlyintegral with rounded contours to a rounded top portion that hasincreased density at a rounded apex, to prevent damage and surface fiberfractures, and has a geometry such that sharp, crisp surface detail isprovided, particularly at exterior corners of the millwork geometry, ina single pressing (molding) step, while providing substantially uniformdensity in all but the rounded apex of the raised, molded rectangularmillwork design.

[0014] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a reversemolded wood composite article that can be molded in a strip of multipleparts in a single pressing (molding) operation and can be cut intoseparate parts after molding and then coated with a water-based and/orsolvent-based coating material, e.g., paint or stain.

[0015] Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide awainscot kit that includes a plurality of reverse molded wood compositearticles to provide at least two differing raised panel (window) sizes,at least two different composite article widths, wherein a smaller widthcomposite article has a proportionately smaller raised panel width, anda planar spacer panel, so that the combination of composite articles cancompletely fill a wall between a base board and a chair rail by cuttingthe planar spacer panel to size at inside wall corners for covering thefull wall width up to the chair rail. More particularly, the preferredreverse molded articles in the kit are provided in widths of 12 inches,16 inches and 48 inches with the 12 inch and 16 inch widths havingwindows (raised panels) of different sizes; and the 48 inch wide articlehaving three windows of a size to match either the 12 inch wide or 16inch wide article.

[0016] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a reversemolded wood composite article that has one or more raised panelscomprising a central, planar raised portion surrounded by a rectangularraised millwork design, the raised panels being surrounded by planarstiles and rails wherein the raised panels are capable of beingseparated from the surrounding planar stiles and rails, e.g., via sawingor back sanding, from the surrounding planar base so that the separatedpanels can be adhered to a household door, cabinet door, shutters,furniture, library or millwork walls, or as a framing material byfurther removing the central planar raised panel portion.

[0017] The above and other aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with thedrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a partially broken-away perspective view of a loose,dry-laid composite cellulosic mat laid between a lower mold cavity andan upper mold core, showing the mat being loose enough to contour overthe raised panel contours of the mold cavity prior to pressing;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a partially broken-away perspective view of the reversemolded wainscot wood composite article of the present invention showingthe preferred geometry of the raised panels;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a front view of the components of a wainscot kitcomprising four different articles—three reverse molded panels and oneplanar panel—capable of completely filling a wall between a base boardand a chair rail while only cutting the planar panel to size to fill theentire wall up to the chair rail;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a partially broken-away front view of a portion of awall containing an oversized window, showing one way to fit the kit ofFIG. 3 onto a wall having an oversized window;

[0022]FIG. 5 is a partially broken-away side view of the reverse moldedwood composite article of the present invention showing the profile ofthe reverse-molded raised panel design;

[0023]FIG. 6 is a side view of the wood composite wainscot article ofthe present invention adhered to drywall between a base board and achair rail, taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 7;

[0024]FIG. 6A is a side view, similar to FIG. 6, showing a prior artwainscot article secured to drywall with shim spacers; and

[0025]FIG. 7 is a front view of the wood composite wainscot article ofthe present invention secured to a wall and showing a new design for aswitch plate that can be secured to the wall through the wainscotarticle, even if the electrical outlet falls within the raised paneldesign.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the moldedwood composite articles of the present invention are molded in the formof wainscot paneling to be adhered to a planar interior wall between awall base board and a wall chair rail, to simulate solid, natural woodwainscot millwork, as shown in FIG. 2. It should be understood, however,that the principles of the present invention apply to much more than themanufacture of wainscot and also applies to the manufacture of doors ordoor skins, particularly cabinet door facings, as well as any molded,man-made composite wood article that includes one or more reverse-moldedraised millwork designs adjacent to a planar surface portion of themolded article. Examples of other composite, reverse-molded woodarticles that are capable of being manufactured in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention include decorative hardboard;interior and exterior passage door skins, cabinet door skins, and garagedoor skins; decorative interior wall paneling; cabinetry and furnituresurface moldings; molded panels separated from their surrounding planarportions to be adhered to an outer planar surface of a cabinet, cabinetdoor, or planar furniture portion; furniture components; and the like.

[0027] The dimensions of the reverse molded composite articles of thepresent invention preferably varies from 5 inches to 96 inches in widthand from 12 inches to 60 inches or even 96 inches in height.

[0028] The articles of the present invention preferably are formed fromat least 80% by weight fibrillated cellulosic fibers, based on thetotal, dry weight of fibers in the articles, and a binder capable ofadhering the cellulosic fibers together into a structurally stable,consolidated article. The cellulosic fibers are in the form of refined,fibrillated fibers and can be molded and adhered together with naturalor synthetic binders to provide aesthetically pleasing molded contours,and smooth or wood grain texture surfaces in all exterior, visiblesurfaces, including the molded, raised panel surfaces. The articles ofthe present invention can be molded as a thin, e.g., 0.1 to 0.3 inchwainscot, or raised panels can be cut or back sanded to remove theraised panels for adherence to a cabinet door or the like to provide araised, hand-crafted, natural wood millwork look onto any planarsurface.

[0029] In accordance with the present invention, the reversemoldedarticles of the present invention can be adhesively applied or otherwisefastened to any planar support structure.

[0030] Turning now to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, there isillustrated a partially broken-away perspective view of a portion of amold, including a lower mold half or mold cavity 4, having a partiallybroken-away cellulosic mat 5 laid thereover, and an upper mold core 6,for pressing the mat 5 into a wainscot panel, generally designated byreference numeral 10. The upper mold core 6 has a mold depression 7 inits undersurface that is shaped complementary to the upwardly extendingmold design shown in lower mold cavity 4 for pressing the mat 5therebetween to conform to a mold cavity between the mold halves 4 and6. The wainscot panel 10 is reverse molded, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,between the raised panel-simulating lower mold cavity 4, and the uppermold core 6, to provide raised panels 12 in the molded article 10,including centrally disposed, planar raised panel portions 13, andrectangular contoured wall portions, generally designated by referencenumeral 14, including raised exterior corners 15 on the panel outersurfaces that correspond to contours essentially identical to raisedcontours of the lower mold cavity 4. The reverse molded panel 10 can besecured, e.g., adhesively, or via fasteners, such as nails or screws, toa suitable planar surface, such as a wainscot wall area of an interiorhome room. The lower mold cavity 4 is essentially the same in generalcontour as an upper surface of the wainscot panel 10, except that thelower mold cavity 4 would be slightly smaller horizontally, in theraised panel dimensions, to allow for the thickness of the moldedcellulosic mat 5 that is molded to the upwardly extending raised paneldesign shown in FIG. 2. The upper mold core 6 carries a raisedpanel-receiving mold cavity 7 dimensioned complementary to the uppersurface of the raised panel structure 12, and can be smoothly contouredor can include downwardly extending structure (not shown) to embosssimulated wood grain ticks that form a wood grain pattern.

[0031] The wainscot panel 10 is molded with the mold cavity, disposedbetween die halves 4 and 6, disposed in a generally horizontaldisposition so that the upper major surface will be described ashorizontal—corresponding to its disposition during molding—and it willbe recognized that the position of the molded article, in use, isusually intended to be vertical, instead of horizontal, as in the caseof wainscot panel 10, as shown in FIGS. 2-7. The “raised profile up”molded outer major surface of the wainscot panels 10 is disposed in avertical orientation (“raised profile out”) between a wall base board 16and a wall chair rail 18, as shown in FIG. 6. The exemplary wainscotpanel 10, shown in FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment, includes one ormore of the raised panels 12, which are molded to provide contouredwalls, generally designated by reference numeral 14, integral with andsurrounding the centrally disposed planar raised panel portion 13, andthe contoured walls 14 are integral with and surrounded by planarvertical stiles 20 and 22 and horizontal rails 24 and 26, respectively,lying in a common plane, for adhesive securement of an undersurface ofeach stile and rail 20, 22, 24 and 26 to a planar wall, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 6.

[0032] In the preferred wainscot panel 10, best shown in FIGS. 2-4, thereverse molded contoured walls 14 are molded in a rectangular shape,surrounding the centrally disposed planar panel portion 13, and thecontoured walls 14 are interconnected to outer edges 27 of the planarpanel portion 13 through sloping walls 28, disposed therebetween. Asbest shown in the panel profiles of FIGS. 5 and 6, the contoured walls14 include a wall portion 30 that is integral with and extends upwardlyfrom an adjacent stile or rail (24, as shown in FIG. 5) at an angle ofabout 25° to about 35° above horizontal (as molded in the horizontalposition). Wall portion 30 then is curved downwardly in a generallyU-shaped contoured wall portion 32 integral at its outer end with wallportion 30, and integral at its inner end with the planar, raised panelportion 13, at outer edges 27 (FIGS. 2 and 5) of the planar, raisedpanel portion 13. Each of the four contoured walls 14 that form thereverse molded rectangles of each raised panel 1 2 are of identicalcontour. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, U-shaped contouredwall portion 32 is contoured such that an innermost undersurface 34 (asapplied against a wall) of the contoured wall portion 32, at the base ofthe U, lies in the same plane as an undersurface 36 of the stiles andrails 20, 22, 24 and 26, so that the undersurface 34 of U-shaped wallportion 32, at the base of the U, contacts, and can be adhered to, wall37 for structural support when in position (as shown in FIG. 6).

[0033] The articles of the present invention are molded from a loose matof cellulosic fibers and a thermosetting binder, such as a ureaformaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, and/or phenol formaldehyde bindercommonly used in the manufacture of fiberboard. The mat should includeat least about 80% fibrillated, refined cellulosic fibers, preferably100%, based on the total, dry fiber weight in the mat 5. The fibers aremechanically refined from wood chips preferably using steam pressures inthe range of about 80 to 120 psi, more preferably about 100 to 110 psi,most preferably about 105 psi. Steam pressures higher than about 120 psiin refining the cellulosic fibers produce highly refined fibers that areuseful in accordance with the present invention, but the cost ofrefining would be commercially prohibitive.

[0034] Such refining of cellulosic fibers will provide fibrillatedcellulosic fibers that are preferably dry laid into a loose cellulosicfiber mat having a basis weight in the range of 0.58 to 0.62 pounds percubic inch. Upon molding in a heated press at a temperature in the rangeof about 385° F. to 450° F., and at a maximum pressure in the range ofabout 550 to about 850 psi, the resulting embossed articles will have aspecific gravity in the range of about 0.96 to about 1.08, preferablyabout 0.98 to about 1.06, more preferably about 1.00 to about 1.04.Articles of the present invention that are “profile up” compensate toincrease density and surface toughness by reducing caliper at thehighest point in the design profile to about 1.02 to about 1.08 specificgravity, with a target of 1.02 to 1.04 specific gravity, whether smoothor textured. The flat surface geometry surrounding the profile zones ispressed to a slightly lower specific gravity of 1.00 to 0.98 by slightlyincreasing the caliper within these zones.

[0035] In accordance with another important embodiment of the presentinvention, the reverse molded panels 10 of the present invention can beproduced in a plurality of widths, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, amolded panel 10A that is, for example, 48 inches wide, having threeraised panels 12, a panel 10B that is, for example, 16 inches wide,having a single raised panel 12; a panel 10C that is, for example, 12inches wide, having a single raised panel 12; and a planar panel 10Dthat is, for example, 8 inches wide, and can be cut easily lengthwise,to complete a wall. Each panel 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D is the same heightof, for example, 32 inches—a standard wainscot height. As shown in FIG.3, the panels, e.g., 10B or 10C, can be arranged under windows 40, byrotating the panel (10B, as shown in FIG. 3) 90° so that the raisedpanel 12 has its length in a horizontal disposition and, if necessary,when windows are lower to the floor, panel 10C can be used instead,together with one or two planar panels 10D above and/or below panel 10C.

[0036] The wainscot kit shown in FIG. 2 can be easily installed by thehomeowner by starting at the center of the room, or directly under acenter window, and arranging the panels symmetrically toward insidecorners of the spaced wall ends. By arranging the panels 10B and/or 10Cproperly, the 8 inch width planar panels 10D will be of sufficient widthto fill all walls, to the wall ends, defined at inside room corners, andcan be cut accurately to completely fill the wall.

[0037] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,electrical light switch plates (not shown) and outlet covers, generallyand collectively referred to by reference numeral 40 (FIG. 7), areprovided in the kit shown in FIG. 3. These outlet covers 40 and switchplates (not shown) are rectangular and have outermost vertical walls 42that are at least as high as the raised contoured walls 14 and planarraised panel portions 13 of panels 12 so that wherever the light switchplates and/or electrical outlet covers 40 are positioned within thewainscot panels 10, a hole is cut in the panels 12 to the same outerdimensions as the switch plate cover or outlet cover 40, and the outletcover 40 is inserted against the wall (within the panel), withoutexposing a cut panel, since the cuts in panel 12 will be flush againstthe outermost walls 42 of the outlet cover 40, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0038] The foregoing description is given for clearness of understandingonly, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, asmodifications within the scope of the invention may be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wood composite article reverse molded from amat of refined cellulosic fibers and sufficient binder to adhere thecellulosic fibers together into a structurally sound article having aspecific gravity in the range of about 0.96 to about 1.08, said articleincluding planar surface portions surrounding an outwardly protrudingcontoured panel, having a plurality of exterior corners, that simulatesnatural wood millwork, a back surface of said article being coplanar foradhering said back surface to a planar surface of a substrate, saidcontoured panel extending outwardly from said planar stiles and rails.2. A wood composite article in accordance with claim 1 , wherein thearticle includes less than 5% by weight resin binder.
 3. A woodcomposite article in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the resin binderis homogeneously distributed throughout the article.
 4. A wood compositearticle in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the article does notinclude a thermoplastic coating material on the cellulosic mat, and doesnot include a resin-impregnated paper overlay.
 5. A wood compositearticle in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the mat of cellulosicfibers is made by the dry process and has a smooth planar back surface.6. A wood composite article in accordance with claim 1 , furtherincluding a planar wall substrate adhered to said planar back surface ofsaid article.
 7. A wood composite article in accordance with claim 6 ,wherein the planar wall substrate is adhered to said planar back surfaceof said article by fasteners or an adhesive without a shim spacerdisposed between said planar wall substrate and said planar back surfaceof said article.
 8. A wood composite article in accordance with claim 1, wherein the outwardly protruding contoured panel extends outwardlyfrom the surrounding planar surface portions a distance of 5-10 mm.
 9. Awood composite article in accordance with claim 1 , wherein thecellulosic mat includes at least 40% by weight softwood fibers, based onthe total weight of cellulosic fibers in the article.
 10. A woodcomposite article in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the softwoodfibers are selected from pine, spruce and a mixture thereof.
 11. A woodcomposite article in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the cellulosicfibers are about 100% by weight softwood fibers.
 12. A wood compositearticle in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the protruding contouredpanel extends outwardly and inwardly from a surrounding planar surfaceat an angle in the range of 25-35°.
 13. A wood composite article inaccordance with claim 12 , wherein the protruding contoured panelextends outwardly and inwardly from a surrounding planar surface at anangle in the range of 30-35°.
 14. A method of manufacturing a reversemolded wood composite article comprising disposing a mat of cellulosicfibers and a resin binder over an essentially horizontal lower moldhaving planar surface portions surrounding an upwardly protrudingcontoured millwork-simulating design, including a plurality of exteriorcorners; and pressing said mat against an upper mold that is inwardlycontoured on a mat-contacting undersurface, said inward contours in saidupper mold being shaped complementary to said upwardly protrudingcontoured millwork-simulating design extending upwardly from said lowermold, under sufficient heat and pressure to structurally consolidate themat into an article having a specific gravity of about 0.96 to about1.08.
 15. A method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the articleincludes less than 5% by weight thermosetting resin binder.
 16. A methodin accordance with claim 15 , wherein the resin binder is homogeneouslydistributed throughout the article.
 17. A method in accordance withclaim 16 , wherein the article does not include a thermoplastic coatingmaterial on the cellulosic mat, and does not include a resin-impregnatedpaper overlay.
 18. A method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein themat of cellulosic fibers is made by the dry process and has a smoothplanar back surface.
 19. A method in accordance with claim 14 , furtherincluding adhering a planar wall substrate to said planar back surfaceof said article.
 20. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein theplanar wall substrate is adhered to said planar back surface of saidarticle without a shim spacer disposed between said planar wallsubstrate and said planar back surface of said article.
 21. A method inaccordance with claim 14 , wherein the outwardly protruding contouredpanel is molded outwardly from the surrounding planar surface portions adistance of 5-10 mm above a surrounding planar base.
 22. A method inaccordance with claim 14 , wherein the cellulosic mat includes at least40% by weight softwood fibers, based on the total weight of cellulosicfibers in the article.
 23. A method in accordance with claim 22 ,wherein the softwood fibers are selected from pine, spruce and a mixturethereof.
 24. A method in accordance with claim 23 , wherein thecellulosic fibers are about 100% by weight softwood fibers.
 25. A methodin accordance with claim 14 , wherein the protruding contoured panel ismolded outwardly and inwardly from a surrounding planar surface at anangle in the range of 25-35°.
 26. A method in accordance with claim 25 ,wherein the protruding contoured panel is molded outwardly and inwardlyfrom a surrounding planar surface at an angle in the range of 30-35°.27. A method of making a contoured raised panel for securing to a planarsurface comprising molding a wood composite article in accordance withclaim 1 , and then separating the raised panel from the surroundingplanar surface portions.
 28. A wainscot kit comprising a first and asecond wood composite articles in accordance with claim 1 , said firstand second wood composite articles each having the same height and adifferent width, and each of said first and second wood compositearticles having an outwardly protruding contoured panel of the sameheight and a different width; and a third, planar wood compositearticle, said three wood composite articles capable of covering anentire wall, between a wall base board and a wall chair rail, by cuttingonly the third, planar panel to size, at a wall corner.
 29. A wainscotkit in accordance with claim 28 , further including a fourth woodcomposite article having multiple, spaced, outwardly protrudingcontoured panels and being wider than the first, second, and third woodcomposite articles.
 30. A wainscot kit in accordance with claim 28 ,further including a rectangular electrical outlet cover having aperturesadapted to cover a rectangular area surrounding an electrical outlet,while leaving the electrical outlet exposed for connection of anelectrical device thereto, and having side walls extending perpendicularto an outlet-containing wall, said side walls being dimensioned at leastas high as a height of said protruding contoured panels in said reversemolded wood composite articles, such that an aperture formed in a panelof said wood composite article for receiving said electrical outletcover, will be in contact with, and hide from view, cuts made in thewood composite article having the formed aperture.